OLD ORCHARD BEACH — The school year started Wednesday at Regional School Unit 23, serving Old Orchard Beach schools, and there are some new faces among the faculty.

Matthew Foster just started as the new principal at Loranger Memorial School, which serves students in grades three through eight.

Foster introduced himself to the parents in a video announcement and invited them to attend an open house at the school on Sept. 11.

Foster said his wife, Caitlin, is an educator as well, and teaches third grade for the York School Department. He said he and his wife and their two children in the summer enjoy spending time at the beach, camping in the woods or out on a lake.

“We really enjoy this great state that we live in,” he said.

Foster began his career in education teaching science and math to middle school students, and has also taught high school math. His last position was assistant principal at Newmarket Junior/Senior High School in Newmarket, New Hampshire.

While at Newmarket, he said, he received multiple school safety trainings, including one from Homeland Security, and among his accomplishments was working with staff to implement 1:1 technology for grades five through 12.

“I’m very excited for this next chapter as Principal of Loranger to work with amazing students, wonderful staff and an incredibly supportive community,” said Foster.

Other new faces at Loranger include seventh-grade teacher Casey Griffin and educational technicians Marc Simard, Cameron Jackman and Giselle Harmon.

At Old Orchard Beach High School, Michael Brennan is joining the social studies department after teaching at Leavitt High School for the past 16 years, and Olivia Nicol has come on board as an education technician. Jean Merrill is a new food service worker at the high school. Also at the high school, Jonathan Spath has moved from part-time to full-time faculty in the math department.

At Jameson School, which serves students from Pre-Kindergarten through second grade, there are two new positions – dean of students and school social worker.

The dean of students will work closely with the principal, school personnel and students to build and maintain a positive, safe and welcoming school climate. The duties for the dean of students include working alongside student services and administrative teams to develop positive behavioral interventions for Jameson students and handling behavioral concerns and situations in a developmentally appropriate manner across the Pre-K through second grade span.

Filling this new position is Jason Barriault, who previously worked for eight years as a physical education teacher in the Lewiston School Department.

“Jason is a terrific addition to our staff,” said Jameson Elementary School Principal Mike Flaherty. “He has earned his master’s in educational leadership from USM and comes to us with tremendous recommendations. I have had the privilege of working with him this summer and I am confident that he will add great value to our school community.:

Katherine LaCasse is joining Jameson as the school’s new social worker. LaCasse has a master’s degree in social work and has worked at Sweetser as a clinician. She is also a trauma-informed yoga instructor for children and an Old Orchard Beach alumni, said Flaherty.

Other new staff at Jameson include Pre-K teacher Kaylen Beary, functional life skills teacher Rachel Hatem, special education teacher DawHall and educational technicians Lynn Sansonetti and Matt York.

Kalina Dodier, an Old Orchard Beach alumni who served as an educational technician at Jameson’s library for four years, is now the school’s newest second-grade teacher, said Flaherty.

Other “old friends in new roles” at Jameson include Kate Shaw, a former second-grade teacher who is now a part-time music teacher and a part-time interventionist; former educational technician Lisa St. Louis who is now a health aid and educational technician; and Bryce Lamontagne who was a long-term substitute last school year, said Flaherty.

Other new positions at RSU 23 include behavior analyst Kelly Pelletier, psychologist Jim Babcock, instructional strategist Shannon Sampson and speech and language pathologist Lisa Spencer.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be reached at 780-9015 or by email at egotthelf@journaltribune.com.

Copy the Story Link

Comments are not available on this story.